Malaysians in Guyana celebrate 61 years of independence

On Friday last, members of the small Malaysian community here in Guyana came together to celebrate Merdeka Day at the Sarawak Restaurant in Queenstown, Georgetown.
Malaysians, their family and friends, enjoyed an evening of fun, food, and festivities, wining and dining on Malaysian favourites.
The event was the brainchild of Malaysian Elaine Bong, owner of the Sarawak Restaurant. Knowing of Malaysians working both in the interior regions of Guyana and some in the capital, Georgetown, she reached out to a fellow Malaysian, long-term resident in Guyana, Kala Seegopaul, and the idea was brought to life. A committee was set up among a few of the Malaysians in the Georgetown area and tasks were delegated accordingly.
Bong had remarked that the main objective of the event was to bring all the Malaysians here together and establish a network, seeing as they were all so far from home.
The 40-odd crowd of Malaysians and their families and friends who participated

was treated to a special lion dance performance, before the national anthem was sung and the feasting commenced. After dinner, anecdotes on adjusting to life in Guyana were exchanged in the cozy restaurant over desserts and drinks.
Seegopaul who has lived in Guyana for the past 40 years said being so far away from home was no easy feat and was delighted to know there were so many Malaysians residing here.
Dr Sasha Gomez, a Malaysian working with the Health Ministry, hopes the event would be the beginning of more frequent gatherings of the Malaysian community in Guyana.
Though small in number, Malaysians residing in Guyana are involved in various sectors such as healthcare, private business owners, the services sector, working with timber and gold mining companies, and in the oil and gas field among others.